


Not So Dull Afterall

by hokage35



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Office, Fluff, Language, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-07 09:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14078331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hokage35/pseuds/hokage35
Summary: “I miss sex,” Bucky huffed out from behind his computer. He hadn’t even been at work more than ten minutes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ~~Just a light-hearted one shot.~~ This is now a 3 chapter AU. Lighthearted, hope people enjoy it. Ch 1 can still be read as a complete standalone if preferred. Ch 3 is a little anti-Sharon so be warned.

“I miss sex,” Bucky huffed out from behind his computer. He hadn’t even been at work more than ten minutes. His office space was small. Only five in his team. Software developers at Stark Industries. They were tucked away in the corner of the fourth floor, with the rest of IT in similar pockets across the office. In their line of work Bucky didn’t really have to leave his floor all that often. 

“Well James, I’m flattered but I haven’t even had my morning coffee yet,” his friend and manager Natasha replied. Natasha went to all the important meetings and reported back to them as well as distributed workloads. Bucky interacted with the other personal in IT but other than that he was good friends with his team and stayed out of everything else.

“Firstly eww,” Bucky scrunched up his nose at the thought. He was gay after all. “But I’m serious Nat, it’s been too long.” It’d only been three weeks and two days.

“Well why don’t you get prettied up and wear a nice ass hugging pair of jeans and hit up a club,” she replied. Their office was only shared with Clint who didn’t start till late because he was a total non-morning person, Maria who was on holiday in Europe, and Peter who only worked part-time due to College. Basically the group discussed whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. 

Bucky huffed again. “I have, it’s so not working. All the guys I’ve met recently are…”

“Disappointing in bed?” Natasha offered.

“We don’t even get that far,” Bucky was up now and on the way to the kitchenette to make some coffee and find something sugary to snack on. No sex meant he found pleasures in sugary treats. The treats guilted him into running more at the gym which tired him out making up for the lack of sex. “I don’t know, I guess I’m still in a funk since-”

“Let me guess,” Nat cut in, “you’re still hung up on the blonde mystery man.” She had followed him as she was also wanting a caffeine hit. Monday mornings were always a struggle and coffee only slighted helped.

“I know I shouldn’t be, but I seriously can’t help it,” a few weeks ago Bucky had picked up what he described as a beefy blonde Adonis at a club and gone back to the guy’s house to have mind-blowing sex. But a call in the early hours of the morning from Clint pleading an emergency had Bucky slipping out of the blonde’s bed and running for the door like a mad man. Turns out Clint’s dog Lucky had escaped, and Bucky was part of the search team to find him. 

By the time Lucky had been found, Bucky’s hangover was gone. He remembered in detail the amazing night with a blonde man but he then began to dread the fact that he didn’t leave his number, or get the other man’s. Hell he didn’t even remember the blonde’s name. He tried thinking back to where he’d flagged a taxi down that morning but he could only vaguely remember it was somewhere in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Being so early in the morning he didn’t take in his surroundings. 

He had thought that maybe if he went back to the same club he’d find the other guy then apologize and explain what happened. So far he’d spent every Friday and Saturday night at club Hydra with no sign of the blonde. Bucky had pretty much given up all hope. 

The coffee machine beeped signalling it was ready as Bucky began pouring two cups. Natasha grabbed some sugar, both of them enjoyed it black. “I guess that was it,” Bucky stirred his coffee after spooning in some sugar. “I’ve had my one amazing night and now I’m doomed to go back to a life of mediocre sex.”

“Well if you’re done spending all your time at that stupid club maybe now you’ll let me set you up?” Natasha was hopeful. 

Bucky frowned, grabbing his stash of cookies from the cupboard. “I don’t know Nat. Remember Pietro you set me up with from your gym? I’m pretty sure that guy was on speed during our date. It was a total disaster.” That was three months ago and Bucky hadn’t trusted her judgement on men since then.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “One bad date. Besides this new guy I have in stall for you is way better.”

Sensing he wouldn’t get away from this conversation easily, Bucky leaned against the counter-top of the kitchenette. “Who is he?”

“His name is Steve and he’s really sweet. He’s a management accountant up on nine,” Natasha explained. 

Bucky scoffed. “An accountant, really Nat?”

“Just give him a chance,” the redhead countered.

“Please, accountants are so dull. He probably fucks missionary style, that’s if he isn’t still a virgin,” Bucky let loose with the insults. Not like his blonde, that guy definitely knew how to fuck someone. “Sorry but I don’t need a lecture about my taxes and how I can budget to save more,” Bucky laughed and headed back to his desk.

Natasha finally gave up. Thankfully her phone rang and offered a timely distraction. A staff member from marketing giving all teams a friendly reminder that the staff Christmas party was almost upon them. It was this Friday in fact.

She waited till mid-morning before informing Bucky as Clint had also started meaning she wouldn’t have to repeat herself. They all knew about the event, each one of them having been to at least one Stark Christmas extravaganza. Besides, marketing had begun promoting it nearly two months ago. Their CEO Tony Stark had booked a hotel ballroom for the event. Alcohol and food would be vastly available. A band would provide entertainment as well as a professional MC and raffles for lucky door Christmas gifts; usually a new smartphone or tablet. 

“Is Peter invited?” Bucky asked when Nat had finished speaking.

“The kid’s like sixteen,” Clint scoffed. 

“He’s twenty,” Natasha corrected. “And he’s staff so yes he is. But don’t think that means either of you can get him drunk and talk him into doing something stupid. I won’t have you two making this team out to be a bad influence.” She still remembered how Bucky, Clint and a few others from IT managed to talk Scott from Maintenance into streaking during last year’s party.

“Us?” Bucky looked amused and defensive. “If I remembered correctly the guys in security still call you the ‘vodka shot queen.’”

“That’s different,” Natasha shrugged.

“How?” Clint pipped up.

“That was Easter not Christmas.” Without another word Natasha walked away, no doubt off to some dull meeting. 

The rest of the week went by uneventful. It wasn’t until Thursday that Natasha came back in the afternoon and made a point to mention that she’d just seen Steve on her way back from lunch.

Bucky groaned.

“Who’s Steve?” Peter asked.

“Some guy Nat is trying to set me up with,” Bucky deadpanned.

“Is that a bad thing?” Peter seemed confused at the brunet’s disdain. 

Bucky shrugged, he knew he was probably being a little ridiculous over the whole thing. “He’s an accountant that Nat wants me to meet. But I don’t need someone that dull in my life.” He knew he shouldn’t scar the younger man with talk about mind blowing sex with a blonde one-night stand but he felt like people needed to understand just how good the sex was. 

“Wait,” Clint chimed in. “You’re not talking about Steve up on the ninth floor?”

Bucky just nodded. 

“Nat’s trying to set you up with him?” Clint seemed surprised.

Bucky nodded again.

“Hmm,” Clint was contemplating the idea. “I think you should go for it. Steve’s a great guy. Yeah I could see you two working out.”

“You know him?” Bucky and Clint barely left the office and when they did venture out from their floor it was usually together. How had Clint met this guy yet Bucky hadn’t?

“We both go to the Stark gym,” Clint elaborated. “Super nice, helped me form a better training routine.”

“Wait,” Bucky perked up. “Since when did you go to the gym?” he was clearly teasing. Bucky didn’t use the company gym, whilst it was apparently quite impressive, he preferred his local. 

“Screw you,” Clint bit back.

Peter just laughed at his desk and moments later the three men were insulting each other playfully till all mentions of their previous conversation were forgotten. 

By Friday morning Bucky was the only one at work. Clint wouldn’t be in for another hour, Peter only worked every second Friday, and Natasha wasn’t starting till noon. She had the morning off to get her hair done for the Christmas party that night. 

The morning slowly ticked along. As Bucky finished some updates to a web app the team had been working on Clint arrived. They started by discussing the Walking Dead. 

“I might as well be a Walker if I don’t get laid soon,” Bucky moaned staring at the now cold liquid in his coffee cup.

“Well maybe you’ll meet someone tonight, and have an epic Christmas party hook up,” Clint reassured.

“Maybe it’ll be Tony Stark himself and I can be a kept boy,” Bucky laughed. Soon the pair got stuck into their work and the morning crept by.

Natasha came in just after twelve, immediately questioning why both Bucky and Clint were in jeans. 

The two men pointed to the corner of the room where their suits hung up waiting. By four in the afternoon Bucky retreated to the bathroom to shower and change. He couldn’t be bothered styling his hair and opted to tie it in a bun which somehow worked with his black suit. 

Peter arrived at five and the team started to notice others from IT leaving the building. They called an Uber, to be reimbursed by the company the following week, and headed off to the party. Tony liked to start the party pretty early, knowing that staff would trickle in throughout the evening.

Thankfully neither Nat or Clint had mentioned Steve again so Bucky thought he might just be off the hook. Once they arrived, Clint paid and Bucky helped Nat out of the vehicle. 

“Everyone behave yourselves,” Natasha warned in her ‘otherwise I’ll kill you’ tone and the group entered the hotel and headed to their function.

Stark went all out at the Christmas party, Bucky loved and hated it. He loved the free booze, food, great music and extravagant setup but he hated having to wear a suit. 

Usually the team spent the night drinking, eating, dancing, and attempting to set Clint up with one of the stuck-up HR girls for a laugh. But this time Maria wasn’t around to lure said girls over. 

Peter was on a timeout at a table. They’d caught the twenty year old onto his fifth glass of champagne and barely an hour had gone by. The guy did not handle his alcohol well, claiming he could climb the walls if Clint held his jacket for him. 

Bucky, Clint and Natasha had just finished dancing. Clint slipped away to grab something to eat, promising to get Bucky another beer on his return. Natasha had also ducked away, off to some group Bucky didn’t recognize. She knew just about everyone at Stark Industries, so she was able to socialize and fit in well. 

The brunet contemplated his options, he could try and socialize; not a chance, go hang with Peter; drunk kid, no thanks, or try and look busy and not out of place. Phone in hand Bucky tried to appear like he wasn’t awkwardly alone. Clint wouldn’t be long and they’d probably just sit at a table for a little longer before leaving.

He was currently flicking through 9gag when he heard someone clear their throat. He knew it was Nat and therefore only half looked up at her. “Back so soon?” he joked.

“Yes, I wanted to finally introduce you to Steve,” she replied.

Bucky immediately dreaded her words. He locked his phone and gave the other man his full attention. Instantly Bucky’s eyes snapped wide open and his phone juggled in his hands as he tried not to drop it. 

The blonde before him looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“You!” Bucky pointed at the man before him.

“Holy shit,” was all the blonde could say.

“Your name's Steve?” Bucky couldn’t believe it.

Steve looked at Bucky, then Natasha, then back to Bucky. “Wait you don’t remember my name Bucky?”

“You two know each other?” Nat barely finished her sentence before Bucky lunged forward and kissed the other man. The kiss was over quickly, far too short for Bucky’s liking. After all he was still at a work function, surrounded by colleagues. “Sorry,” he quickly added.

“Don’t be,” Steve panted, a dopey smile on his face.

“James you have about three seconds to explain to me why that wasn’t a blatant act of sexual harassment or I’m going to kick your ass all the way to HR.”

Bucky tore his eyes of Steve long enough to focus on the red head. “Nat this is the guy I was telling you about.”

“You’ve never even met Steve,” she fired back.

In an attempt to be subtler, Bucky leaned over and whispered in Natasha’s ear. “Steve’s the guy I was telling you about, from Hydra.”

Natasha’s eyes flew open. “You meant the one you-”

“Yes,” Bucky cut her off in a hushed tone. Satisfied, he turned his attention back to the blonde. “I can’t believe it. Steve,” Bucky could barely form a thought. “When did you start working here?” He was thankful that he finally managed to say something intelligent rather than just stand there.

“A little over eight months ago,” Steve replied. He hadn’t heard what the other two had whispered but by the flushed and excited look on Bucky’s face it couldn’t have been anything negative.

“Steve here took over as the IT department’s management accountant about six weeks ago,” Natasha added. She then realized that neither of the two men had heard anything she’d just said. “I’m just going to go,” her words were still unheard as she turned away in favor of some non-teenage-love-struck company.

“I can’t believe she’s been trying to set us up,” Bucky chuckled at the irony. He could have had his blonde back days ago by now.

Steve on the other hand didn’t look so amused. “Natasha told me she’d asked her friend if he was interested and apparently the guy said no, repeatedly.” Steve frowned. “So that friend being you means that you didn’t want to meet me?”

“Well I didn’t know it was you obviously,” Bucky defended himself. 

“So why’d you turn me down before you’d even met me?” The blonde folded his arms knowingly. 

Bucky thought about what to say, the truth obviously made him sound like a dick. But then he caught the knowing look in Steve’s eye. “Nat already told you didn’t she?”

“Something along the lines of dull missionary I believe,” Steve smirked. “But I think we both know that I can much more than just that.”

Bucky flashback to when Steve had him in a pile driver position on his bed and blushed. 

“It’s okay,” Steve shrugged, deflating. “I may have said guys who work in IT were gaming nerds who lived in their mother’s basements.”

Wanting to be offended, Bucky remembered he gamed with Clint last Sunday for six hours, Clint his best friend, who lived in his mother’s basement. Well lived and shared the said basement with a dog. “It’s fine,” he opted for pretending to have the moral high ground. 

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Steve steered the conversation forward. “I’d thought you were just some random one-night stand since you took off during the night but considering the way you greeted me a moment ago, now I’m a little confused.”

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. It’s just...” Bucky paused he didn’t exactly have much of a reason. “I really wanted to.”

“No complaints here,” Steve laughed in reply.

“I had an emergency that day,” Bucky remembered it all too well. He could almost feel how warm Steve was in bed bedside him, and how much he truly didn’t want to go. “Well that is my friend had an early morning emergency, his dog got out so he hauled me out of bed at four a.m. to go help.” In hind sight it didn’t sound like a big emergency but when hung over on a post sex haze, Bucky had been easily suggestible and took off to help out a distraught Clint. Besides when your best friend asks you for help; you help, even if you’re in the embrace of an all American dream. 

Steve’s arms were still folded, he was not completely convinced. “So that’s why you had to take off?”

“Yes, I didn’t have time to think it through, I just had to go,” Bucky looked around the room. “Nat,” he waved his friend back over. “I need you to back me up, Clint lost Lucky a few weeks ago and we helped him look.”

Confused at first, Natasha nodded her head. “I remember it was so damn early in the morning and he had us on the streets looking for that dog. Why’s it important?”

“Cause that was the morning after,” Bucky hinted at.

Natasha caught on seconds later. “Oh right the night after all that wild sex.”

Steve choked on his beer. 

“Yeah, he told me pretty much everything,” she continued. Steve looked somewhat horrified. “Guess that’ll make our next budget meeting much more enjoyable Steve.” With that the red head took off back to mingle with the same group as before.

“You told her?” Steve spat. He was more shocked than angry.

“She’s one of my best friends and well how I was supposed to know you also worked at Stark Industries?” Bucky rubbed his nape. “Like you didn’t tell someone.”

Steve wasn’t about to let slip he’d told Peggy, from accounts receivable, about his glorious night with Bucky. Thankfully Peggy was entertaining her parents who were visiting from England and therefore not at the party. She would totally make a scene. Probably make it her mission to embarrass Steve.

“So,” Bucky began, they’d done their explanations and clearly still wanted to be around one another. No drinks had been thrown in faces, luckily no punches had been thrown, and no one had stormed off so he wanted to move their conversation onward. “Can I buy you a drink?”

“They’re free Buck,” Steve frowned.

“It’s Bucky,” he went to correct but stopped. “Never mind,” he preferred the way Steve said Buck. “I don’t remember you being this much of a buzzkill.”

“And I don’t remember you with this many clothes on,” Steve quipped back. 

“You little shit,” Bucky smirked suddenly feeling slightly hot under the collar.

Steve tried his best to look innocent. “I’ll make it up to you with a dance?” He put his beer down on a nearby table and offered his hand to the other man.

Bucky followed the blonde onto the dance floor, ignoring what he knew was a wolf whistle from Nat and a ‘go get some,’ from Clint. “I’d much rather do other things with you than dance.” 

“Buck, we’re professionals and this is still a work function so behave,” Steve warned before leaning in to whisper into the other man’s ear. “But later we can go back to my place and do other things.”

The words sent a shiver down Bucky’s spine. One month nearly to the day and he’d reconnected with his mystery blonde; the not so dull accountant. “Can’t we just go now?” he suggested. 

“Soon,” Steve answered. “I want to see if I can win a new tablet first.” He was referring to the lucky door prizes.

Bucky groaned in annoyance, but he was still happy to be swaying away in Steve’s arms. It was also helpful the other man looked so damn good in a suit. Turns out Bucky was the lucky winner of a brand new iPhone X which he made sure to secure Steve’s number in the next morning as he lay naked in bed with Steve in said blonde’s apartment. 

He ignored a text message from Nat about inter-office romances and laughed at the gif from Clint in Messenger. Getting dressed Bucky ordered an Uber. He was sad to be leaving, Steve offered to take him to breakfast, but Bucky only had his suit to wear, so the pair decided on dinner that night instead. They’d slept together twice already so the two men figured a date was finally in order.

Steve’s number secured and a date scheduled, Bucky kissed the other man at his door before leaving. They’d see each other again in a little over ten hours. But now the brunet was busy trying to think of a few excuses to ride that elevator up to the ninth floor next week.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this prompt kept bugging me and I decided to extend it from a one shot to three chapters. Hope people like it!

The Christmas party had been a wonderful reunion. On Saturday they’d gone on their first official date. One thing led to another and Bucky spent the night at Steve’s again. By Sunday, Bucky was sad to be back in his own apartment alone, but truthfully he was wiped and was in bed by eight p.m.

Monday morning came fast. Bucky was nervous and excited to get into work. Sure he’d be bombarded by his co-workers and their endless questions but he’d also get to see Steve. 

The pair had agreed to get lunch together. 

Two coffees in hand Bucky strode into the office. He placed one of Natasha’s desk.

“Cart coffee,” she noted, picking up the beverage. “Someone’s in a good mood. I take it you and Steve had a fun time Friday night?”

“And Saturday,” Bucky smiled. 

“Then I’m surprised you’re not walking funny,” she joked.

“Ha-ha,” Bucky deadpanned. But yeah she was kind of right, he was still a little sore. The good kind though. Scratch that, the best kind of sore. 

They continued their conversation for another thirty minutes at least before Natasha finally had to admit it was time for them to start doing some actual work. 

Bucky didn’t complain. Mondays were usually terrible but today he had a permanent smile on his face. 

Clint arrived shortly after nine and interrupted the office by asking Bucky about his weekend. 

“So does Steve just throw you around the bed room like a rag doll?” Clint cocked a brow.

“Oh my god,” Bucky’s face went pink. 

“Enough,” Natasha silenced the pair. With Maria still away for another week they were busy and couldn’t afford to spend an entire morning chatting. 

Though when it finally reached eleven forty-five a.m., Bucky was restless. He was seeing Steve at noon for lunch. It was stupid but he was excited and whilst he thought he made it seem like he was working, he was wrong.

A large binder landed on his desk with a thud. Confused he looked up at his boss.

“Take this up to HR on eight, then go on your little lunch date. You’re driving me crazy sitting there like a lost puppy,” Natasha explained. 

Wanting to object, Bucky considered his options for a moment before grabbing his coat and darting out the room. He reached HR, dropped off the binder and headed up to Steve’s floor and it was only eleven fifty. So sue him, he was a little excited. “Okay slow down Barnes,” he whispered to himself, “Don’t want to seem too eager.” As the elevator doors dinged, he straightened his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair adjusting it. Now where exactly did Steve sit?

Thankfully he didn’t have to go cubicle to cubicle. There was an unmistakable muscled blonde standing by the photocopier. 

Sneakily he crept up behind the other man who did not notice his approach. “What are you doing?” Bucky barked. 

He couldn’t have asked for a better reaction as dozens of pieces of paper went flying into the air as Steve’s arms flailed. 

“Jesus fucking Christ Bucky are you trying to give me a heart attack,” Steve calmed down when he saw the other man. 

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Bucky was already on the floor picking up the stray bits of paper. He ignored the looks of those around them. 

“It’s fine,” Steve had regained his composure. “What are you doing here so early?”

Bucky handed back the paperwork when his eyes landed on them. Steve wore glasses. Thick and black rimmed, matched all too well with his work attire. It was just about the sexiest thing Bucky had ever seen. “We’re going to lunch.”

“Okay well just let me sort this out and-” Steve began but was cut off.

“No, now, just dump them,” Bucky ordered. 

Steve noted the needy look in the other man’s eye. “Okay,” he wasn’t sure what was going on but he played along. He put the paperwork on his desk, he’d sort it out when he got back. Retrieving his phone, wallet and jacket, Steve followed the brunet to the elevator. “So where do you want to go?” he barely finished his sentence before the other man dragged him into the stairwell. “Bucky what are you-” Steve’s words were cut short by lips covering his own. 

Catching on quick, Steve maneuvered Bucky so the other man was leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs. “Let me just,” he reached up to grab his glasses but Bucky’s hand caught his.

“No!” Bucky stopped Steve. “Leave them.”

A laugh escaped Steve but he soon went back to enjoying their impromptu make out session. However a couple of minutes later reason finally won Steve over. “Not that I’m not enjoying this but we’re at work.”

“We’re just kissing,” Bucky countered. “Besides no one uses the stairs this high up unless there’s a fire.”

“Yeah but if we keep this up, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself from doing something more,” Steve had a devilish glint in his eye.

“Fine,” Bucky groaned but he knew the other man was right. “Let’s go get some lunch then.” He went to exit through the door, intent on taking the elevator but Steve’s strong grasp stopped him in his tracks. 

“We’re taking the stairs,” Steve explained. “I need some time for this to go down.” 

Bucky followed his line of sight and noted the hard-on Steve was now sporting. “Fine,” he giggled. They descended the stairs together. 

The cold air hit them both as they exited the building, which was probably a good thing considering they were both feeling a bit hot under the collar since the stairwell. Bucky headed down the block, with Steve by his side, to his favourite food truck.

“You want to eat here?” Steve eyed the truck cautiously. 

“These guys do the best subs ever Steve,” Bucky grinned. He ordered as the blonde waited off to the side. 

A few minutes later Bucky was handing Steve a meatball sub. “Live a little,” Bucky teased.

Steve mumbled something under his breath but accepted the offering. He unwrapped the sub and took a bite, eliciting a deep moan of satisfaction. 

“Fuck,” Bucky stared wide eyed at him. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. You don’t eat out much do you?” he surmised. 

“I bring my lunch every day,” Steve words were muffled as his mouth was still full. 

“I can’t remember the last time I brought my own,” Bucky admitted, earning him a glare from the other man. 

Together they slowly walked back down the block towards their office building. They’d taken their time in the stairwell, so lunch had to be quick. Not that either of them would complain with the order of events.

“So how’s Monday treating you?” Bucky wanted to shift the conversation before Steve lectured him on healthy eating.

“The usual,” Steve shrugged. “Just finalizing my presentation for tomorrow.”

They continued to eat, enjoying each other’s company until Steve spotted it. “Don’t tell me you eat two of these?” Steve was pointing to the extra sub Bucky was carrying.

“What? No,” Bucky shook his head. “This one is for Clint. There’s a bug in the code he’s been writing and it’s driving him insane so I don’t think he’ll get away for lunch.”

Steve nodded understandingly even though he only understood the second half of that last sentence. 

The pair sat at a bench outside their building. Bucky leaned into Steve, the man was a living furnace. 

“So,” Steve was first to break the comfortable silence. “You’ve been to my place twice now, when do I get to see where you live?”

“Friday night?” Bucky didn’t have any plans.

“I’m free,” Steve agreed. “What’d you have in mind?”

“Not me,” Bucky shook his head. “If you want to come back to my place buddy then you have to plan the date and wow me.”

“Is that so?” Steve beamed. 

“Yep,” Bucky emphasized the p with a loud pop.

Steve cocked a brow. “I think I can do that.”

“Good because I expect big things,” Bucky said with a demanding flair. 

“I know you like big things,” Steve winked, earning him a playful slap on the arm. 

Not wanting to be a downer, Bucky looked at the time on his phone. They only had a couple of minutes left so they’d have to head back inside. 

The pair shared a much tamer kiss as they weren’t alone, before Bucky exited the elevator on his floor, bidding farewell to the other man. Approaching his desk he was sure Natasha was waiting for his return.

“How was lunch?” she asked. 

“Yeah did you and Steve had a little rendezvous in a supply closet somewhere?” Clint smirked. 

“No,” Bucky hissed back. Not wanting to tell them about the stairwell. But he totally begun thinking about whether or not Steve would ever go for a supply closet hook-up. “Now be nice if you want me to give you this meatball sub.”

Clint was taken aback. “You got me a sub?”

“He also bought me coffee this morning,” Natasha added.

“Steve is a miracle worker,” Clint smirked. “We should make sure he bones you regularly if this is what happens.”

Bucky glared as he dropped the sub at the other man’s desk, then proceeded to flip him off. 

This was probably the best day at work he’d had in a long time. 

Tuesday morning was already shaping up to be just as good or even better than Monday. God himself was smiling upon Bucky as he ran into non-other than Steve at the coffee cart first thing, before he’d even started work. It was a random coincidence but a happy one. 

“Bucky,” Steve greeted the other man with a hug and a kiss. His embrace enough to fight away the winter cold if only for a moment. They’d texted each other last night but it still felt to Bucky like they’d been apart for far too long. 

Steve ordered his low-fat latte, followed by Bucky who ordered a plain black coffee. He won extra points by paying for the blonde’s order. 

“Much planned for today?” Bucky asked as the pair got their order and headed inside the building.

“That big presentation I told you about is this afternoon,” Steve sounded nervous.

Right, Bucky remembered he mentioned it during lunch yesterday. “You’ll do great Steve,” he reached down and squeezed Steve’s free hand with his own. 

“Thanks Buck,” Steve was smiling like a goofball. “Can’t believe I have to spend three hours couped up in a tiny board room.” They continued to hold hands as they strolled to work.

“You’re presenting for three hours?!” Bucky gasped. Fuck that.

Steve laughed. “I’m only presenting for ten minutes, the whole thing takes three hours.”

Hopping into the elevator Bucky let out a loud side as they past the third floor, his was next. “I don’t want to go yet.” He was ignoring the two women in there with them. Head leaning into Steve’s chest, he watched the lights change to ‘4’ signalling they’d arrived on his floor. 

“You’ll be fine Buck,” Steve chuckled before planting a kiss against the brunet’s mop of hair. 

Both Bucky and Steve were too busy for lunch together again today, so instead he ate with Clint at their desks. But luckily he remembered Steve had his presentation at one and texted him at quarter to wishing him good luck. Steve simply replied with a blushing emoticon to signify nervousness. 

At two p.m. Bucky went to his own meeting. Natasha dragged along one member of the team to the monthly IT department meeting, usually it was Maria but with her still on leave he’d flipped a coin with Clint and lost. 

Everybody knew the best conference and board rooms were on the sixth floor, bar the executive rooms which were off limits to anyone who wasn’t a director or higher. Most meetings therefore took place on six. 

Following Natasha, Bucky dragged his feet. Fortunately he hadn’t been to one of these snooze fests since Maria was out with tonsillitis six months ago. Back then he’d also lost a coin toss against Clint, and now he was wondering if the other man had it rigged. 

Passing the other meeting rooms, Bucky noticed Steve standing up in front of a room full of suits. Without even thinking he waved at the blonde. The blinds inside the room were open enough for the other man to see him. Bucky smiled as Steve’s eyes met his, said smile dissipated when he noticed the other man look confused and visible out of place. Oh shit, he’d interrupted Steve during his big presentation. 

“What are you doing?” Nat grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along. 

“Nothing,” Bucky allowed himself to be dragged along in a hurry. Hopefully no one else in the room noticed his walk by. And double hopefully he hadn’t stuffed up Steve’s moment. 

‘I’m sorry,’ written a dozen times. Bucky nodded in approval before sending the text message. He mulled it over most of the afternoon and left it to the last five minutes of his day to say something. He then wondered if he should offer Steve coffee after work as an apology and he could ask about his presentation and hopefully be forgiven.

Steve replied a couple minutes. ‘It’s okay. Everything went well even with my little hiccup halfway through.’

Bucky felt instant relief. ‘Still managed to kill it even with a screw up of a distraction like me. You headed home? You should let me buy you an apology coffee, or you know I’m not opposed to a spanking.’

‘Gym time,’ Steve replied seconds later. ‘But I’ll definitely keep the spanking in mind for another time,’ a second message came through soon after.

How could Bucky forget, with a body like that of course Steve had a strict workout routine. ‘Sounds hot, send some pictures from the gym.’ 

The reply from Steve was simply an arm flexing emoticon. 

“Smartass,” Bucky laughed to himself before packing up and heading home. He contemplated going to his local gym but couldn’t be bothered in the end.

Home now, he settled in on the couch to enjoy whatever he could find on TV when his phone beeped a couple of times. 

Steve sent him pictures. Post workout pictures. God bless the man who invented tank tops Bucky thought as he enjoyed Steve’s bare biceps. It must have been chest day as the blonde’s pecs looked extra good even through the clothing material.

“Damn him,” Bucky bit his bottom lip before his hand slid underneath his sweatpants.

The rest of the week the pair don’t see each other. Yet they keep in contact via emails at work. Bucky even started typing ‘hi biceps,’ instead of Steve. 

By Thursday afternoon Steve rang to tease the other man with vague details about their upcoming date. That was a dangerous game to play considering Bucky was so impatient and begged the blonde to give him some clues. The only hint Steve gave was that he’d need to bring a warm jacket as they’d be outdoors. 

After what could only be described as a painstakingly slow Friday by an overly dramatic Bucky the time for their date arrived. Friday’s both men dressed pretty casual. Tony Stark was a fan of casual Fridays. Bucky waited in the lobby, his warmest coat in hand. 

“Bucky,” Steve greeted him. “You look amazing.”

“Just my normal casual attire,” Bucky cocked a brow. “Wait where are your glasses?” Steve was hot with or without them, Bucky just preferred them.

“Don’t need them,” Steve explained. “Only wear them for work.”

Bucky didn’t let it show that he was disappointed with that answer.

Steve surprised Bucky by taking him to Rockefeller Plaza to ice skate. Bucky loved it, he hadn’t done this in forever. Too bad he slipped, fell and claimed that he’d injured his right ass cheek. Steve promised to massage it for him later, after he finished laughing.

They had dinner in a small Italian restaurant before going back to Bucky’s.

Said apartment was tidy. Bucky had done a mad dash and clean the night before. 

“Wow,” Steve looked around. “Not what I expected.”

Bucky frowned. “What did you expect?”

“I don’t know,” Steve took off his coat. “More computer stuff I guess?”

“You and your stereotypes,” Bucky laughed. “That’s like me asking why you don’t own an abacus.”

“I do own one,” Steve frowned. “It’s in my home office.”

“You have an office?” Bucky was surprised. “How did I not notice that?”

“Because you’ve always been fixated on my bed,” answered Steve.

Bucky blushed. “Touché.” 

“Now speaking of bed,” Steve wiggled his eye brows.

“This way,” Bucky led him down the short hallway in his apartment. Steve was hot on his heels, already pulling at Bucky’s shirt to take it off, the brunet all to happy to oblige. 

Waking up with Steve wrapped around him in his own bed was even more comforting to Bucky than he could have imagined. He stretched slowly, taking his time to wake up. After a few seconds he felt Steve planting kisses along his nape.

“Morning,” Steve whispered as Bucky turned to meet his gaze.

They laid in each other’s arms for a while, smiling like idiots, trading lazy kisses. But all good things must come to an end as Bucky lost a fight with his bladder. It was mid-morning and he actually had plans of what he wanted to achieve today. Okay it was just some clothes shopping but he’d put it off for a while and really wanted to get it done today before the Christmas rush settled in and the stores were packed.

Begrudgingly Steve got up and dressed. He had no where to be some opted for the train home as it was a cheaper alternative. Bucky accompanied Steve and they ended up on the same train. Their second official date (Steve argued third as he considered the Christmas party their first) had gone by without a hitch. They were only supposed to share the train together as Bucky was continuing on to the mall so he could grab some new clothes. The hole on the knee in his favorite pair of jeans was “unacceptable for work,” as Natasha had put it several times already.

Yet somehow Steve had talked him into an early lunch first back at his place. Bucky mentally kicked himself as he walked into Steve’s apartment. At this rate he was never going to make it to the mall. But yeah he was pretty hungry. 

“New jeans huh?” Steve asked as he prepared their food. 

“Yep,” Bucky nodded, sitting on a stool on the opposite side of the kitchen counter. “Nothing fancy just regular jeans. Why did you think I was going to buy a thong or something?”

Steve leaned over the counter to get closer to the other man. “Oh I like the sound of that,” he all but purred. “Maybe we could both get one, red for you, blue for me?”

Bucky threw his head back in a laugh. “You’re such a dork.” He stopped when someone knocked on the front door.

“Can you get that?” Steve was in the middle of cutting a tomato. “Probably just my neighbor wanting to know if I’ve seen his cat; tell him no.”

Bucky nodded and strode towards the door. “Hello,” he asked as he opened it.

The blonde lady on the other side gaze Bucky a puzzled look. “Excuse me, but who are you?”

“Bucky Barnes,” he replied. “Who the hell are you?”

“Sharon Carter,” she said. “Steve’s girlfriend.”

Time slowed down and Bucky found himself gripping the door frame to keep himself up. “I’m sorry what?”

“Sharon…Steve’s…girlfriend,” she spoke slower. “Now do you mind standing aside so I can come in, my flight from L.A. was delayed and my feet are killing me.”

“Yeah sure,” Bucky stood aside. “I’ll just,” he mumbled, grabbed his things and left. He was already in the elevator with the doors closing as he heard Steve yell out his name.

‘Steve Rogers is a fucking asshole,’ Bucky typed in his phone as he strode across the lobby. He pushed send before exiting the building. He’d barely gotten into a taxi as his phone beeped.

Natasha’s reply was almost instant. ‘Come over, I have tequila.’


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter. POV switches to Steve early on because he has things to fix...

Sixteen missed calls, fourteen voicemails, and ten text messages. All from Steve. Bucky wanted to throw his phone against the wall but luckily Nat confiscated it from him to avoid him doing just that. 

Together they’d drunk a bottle of tequila in her living room. Bucky crashed on her couch. 

Sunday, he spent the day wallowing. He’d yet to cry. Figuring that the lying asshole wasn’t worth his tears. 

Clint stopped by bringing lunch with him, but Bucky barely ate any of it. Natasha informed Clint that both Bucky and she wouldn’t be in Monday, but Peter would be in as an extra day to help out, and Clint promised to keep an eye on things and beat up one Steve Rogers if he saw him at work. 

******** 

Sunday for Steve was vastly different. He’d kicked Sharon out the day prior telling her that she had chased away the best thing to happen to him in a long time. 

Camping outside Bucky’s apartment was a bust, so he headed home but that didn’t stop him from calling the other man. Unable to focus he went on a run. No clear route or distance, he just kept going till his legs started to burn too much to go on and forced himself back home.

‘Hi you’ve reached Bucky Barnes, I’m not available to answer your call right now because this is 2018 and people send texts anyways, but hey if you want to leave a message don’t let me stop you,’ Steve could recite the voicemail message due to the amount of times he’d heard it by now.

In anger he slammed his fist against the kitchen counter and threw his phone onto the couch. It was getting late, he’d shower, try and get some sleep and if he was lucky he would talk to Bucky first thing in the morning.

Sleep did not come easily and if he had to guess, Steve would say he didn’t even get two hours that night. The lack of sleep however, did not slow him down in the morning as he headed into work with one goal in mind. 

Steve reached the software development office, he looked around, a couple of staff were glaring at him; the younger man must have been Peter and the lady must be Maria. Bucky had spoken about each of them a couple of times. Then he recognized Clint who was storming towards him. “Listen Clint I,”

“Save it,” the shorted man bellowed. “I don’t want to hear it. It’s Monday, what I should be hearing about is Maria’s lovely trip through Europe. Instead I’m in early playing boss because the real boss is at home with my best friend glued to a couch after you decided to tear his heart out you piece of shit,” Clint was raging so much that Steve actually made a note to stand back a bit in case the other man swung at him. 

“I can explain,” Steve retorted.

“Be my guest,” Clint was trying to regain his composure. “Explain to me how you forgot to let Bucky know you already had a girlfriend. I should just punch you in that perfectly formed face of yours.”

“Look,” Steve stood tall, making the other man flinch a little and back off. “It’s not like that,” he began. He was here to apologize, not get into a fist fight. Steve had no time to waste quarrelling.

Steve explained everything in detail. Maria and Peter quickly joined Clint’s side. The three of them went from murderous rage towards Steve, to feeling like the world’s biggest jackasses. 

“Fuck,” Clint hissed. “Seriously?”

Steve nodded.

“Wow,” Peter was stunned. None of them had words.

“Have you told Bucky any of this?” Maria asked. She sure had missed a lot but caught on rapidly. 

“I tried,” Steve sighed. “He ran out before I could get to him. I tried calling but he won’t answer. And like an idiot I spent an hour outside his apartment banging on the door yesterday but he wouldn’t let me in. I only left when his neighbor threatened to call the cops.”

Having backed down, Clint now leaned against his desk. “He’s been at Natasha’s since Saturday.”

“Natasha’s,” Steve should have guessed. “Where’s she live?”

Reluctant at first, Maria spoke up. “They were at her place but she took Bucky home this morning. Thought he’d be better off in his own apartment. Only got there a few minutes ago.” Nat had texted her an update. The team were really protective of their own.

“I’ll call her,” Clint added. “That way she won’t gut you with a knife if she opens his door.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Steve cracked a small smile. 

“And Steve,” Clint stopped the other man before he took off. “About all this, look we’re sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Steve placed a supportive hand on Clint’s shoulder. “I’m glad Buck has friends like you.”

Not wasting any time Steve hurried towards the lobby, texting some excuse to his boss about food poisoning to avoid any consequences he might receive for leaving work when he’d technically only just started the day. 

Thank god Uber’s were prepaid, thought Steve as he barely waited for the vehicle to stop before he got out and ran inside Bucky’s building. By the time the elevator reached Bucky’s floor Steve was off, flying towards his apartment. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Steve banged on the door. He heard the latch disengage, followed by the clicking of a lock. 

The door opened and there stood Natasha. Steve was mentally preparing himself for another round of ‘you hurt Bucky, so we’re going to hurt you,’ but he noticed the red head was holding her phone and her gaze looked non-lethal.

“Clint called,” she spoke first. “He explained everything to me.” She stood aside, holding the door open for Steve. “You have ten minutes but trust me Rogers, if you don’t fix this-”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a dead man,” Steve could do with less threats. “Thanks.”

She huffed and exited the apartment, closing the door behind her. 

“Who was it?” Bucky looked up from the couch expecting to see Nat but instead there was Steve. “What are you doing here?” Bucky croaked, sitting up on his couch. 

“I came to explain,” Steve had rushed over so quickly he hadn’t really prepared what he’d say. His eyes fell on the other man. Bucky didn’t look so good. He had bags under his eyes from what must have been a lack of sleep. His hair was a mess and his clothes were wrinkled. They weren’t the signs of a long term relationship breakup but still they weren’t good. It broke a part of Steve to see the other man like this. 

“Let me save you some trouble. See the good thing about all this is that I have two functioning eyes and two functioning ears Steve so I don’t need you to explain because your girlfriend already did!” He snapped. His outburst stopped the blonde dead in his tracks. 

“Buck please,” Steve tried.

The other man shook his head. “No,” he bit back. “I’m such a fucking idiot. I pined over you for weeks, then by some miracle we met again after everyone practically tried to push us together. Spending time with you has been amazing. But I learnt I’m just some guy you’re screwing whilst your girlfriend’s out of town.”

“But Bucky if you just-” Steve started.

A wave of Bucky’s hand silenced him. “How could you do this me? To her? I get we haven’t been going out that long but she’s your girlfriend Steve, how could you?” 

“She’s not my-”

“Do you love her?” Bucky interjected once more.

“No,” Steve’s answer was firm.

It sounded cold to Bucky. “So you’re just using her?”

“What?” Steve spat. “No. She’s not even my girlfriend.”

“Someone should tell her that,” Bucky huffed.

“I’ve tried but she’s fucking batshit crazy!” Steve yelled, trying to force a point. “If you want to give it a go then be my guest.”

Bewildered, Bucky looked at the other man. “What?”

Steve let out a big sigh. “She’s not my girlfriend Buck. Sharon and I used to date over three years ago. I broke up with her when I came out. Because if you haven’t noticed already; I like guys.”

“But she said,” Bucky was totally confused. 

“Of course she did,” Steve interrupted. “She tells everyone she’s my girlfriend and if they try and point out that I’m gay, she says it’s just a phase.”

“Then she’s not your girlfriend?” Bucky mused. 

“Hell no,” Steve shook his head. 

“And you don’t still love her?”

“I probably never did, she was my last attempt before I accepted myself for who I was. If I loved anyone it’d be you.” Steve froze, like he didn’t mean for that last bit to come out. 

Bucky heart skipped a beat.

“At least I think I could love you. What I’m trying to say Bucky Barnes is that I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Steve flopped down on the couch next to the other man.

“I’m such an idiot,” Bucky deadpanned.

“No,” Steve’s tone was softer now. “You were simply misinformed.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Bucky turned to look the other man in the eye. 

Steve smiled at him. “Did it work?”

Bucky cackled out a laugh but it didn’t last long. His eyes soon went red. “Steve I’m so sorry, I-” he didn’t get the words out before Steve pulled him into his arms. Bucky’s face against his chest. 

“Shhh,” Steve soothed. “It’s okay Buck.”

When Natasha re-entered the apartment, she saw Bucky curled up on Steve, whilst Steve’s head lay back against the couch. Both men were out cold. Quietly she grabbed her bag and coat and let them be.

The following day Bucky had another ‘sick’ day, and so did Steve. Together the two men spent their time in Bucky’s apartment, well more specifically Bucky’s bed, except that small stint in the morning when they showered together.


End file.
